Biography

Andy Vaz hails from Düsseldorf, Germany, the breeding ground of Kraftwerk. Since 1997, Andy manages and curates Background Recordings, internationally acclaimed as being one of the most instrumental labels to concentrate on what people refer to as: minimal techno.

Long before Minimal Techno turned into a genre, and subgenre after subgenre were invented, Andy has already been concentrating on providing a cultural conduit for true minimal electronic music. Some of the most influential international musicians of the minimal electronic music movement had their works presented on his Background Imprint. Artists such as: Akufen, Sutekh, Jan Jelinek, Todd Sines, Terrence Dixon, Jeff Milligan, Submania, Rhythm Maker, Kit Clayton, Ectomorph, Deadbeat, Baby Ford, Stewart Walker, Donnacha Costello, Geoff White, Smyglyssna, Portable, Frivolous and many others have graced the Background stage. The Label has been a major force in the presentation of minimal techno, introducing and educating the world to the geographic variable influences that exist within the genre.

As the years have passed, house music and techno have fused, segregated, split and recombined in countless ways. Both techno and house have drawn influences from one another to create hybrids that have changed the face of music as we know it. Andy could not ignore his undeniable appreciation for house music and therefore, decided to start a second label in order to help facilitate the growing relationship between global deep house and minimal techno: “A touch of Class “ was born.

In 2000, Andy Vaz has released his own material. At first he started his Sound Variation [---] series. A set of 10 conceptual releases, where all works were defined by the criteria of re-use, recycling of same instrumentations, within the context of boundless compositional approaches. Free Jazz was the teacher.

Next to the series Andy Vaz also started putting out minimal techno & deep house dance material. Music, that is focused on the Groove and is based on his rich experiences as an internationally rewarded Live Act. Apart from having played countless clubs, festivals and venues, he’s done everything from the legendary “Liquid Room” in Tokyo to the Mutek Festival in Mexico. Andy has build up an excellent reputation as a crowd shaking and unique sounding live act. Known for extended two hour dance live-sets to more abstract listening performances Andy proves to be diverse and suitable in various musical contexts.

In march 2007 Vaz launched a new label called “YORE”, which will focus on the authentic old school Detroit & Chicago House Sound with original artists such as Rick Wade, Chez Damier, Terrence Dixon, Todd Sines, Alton Miller and others, presenting a new platform for these artists as well as for himself, to ensure spreading his musical visions further to new audiences. In 2010 Andy strated his own online Radio-show “House of Hope”. Later in 2011 he released his critically acclaimed second full lenght artist Album “Straight Vacationing” which turned out to be a major success worldwide.